Tishk International University

Engineering Faculty
Petroleum and Mining Department

……General Chemistry……
TOPIC: Equilibrium constant for slightly soluble salts

First Grade- Spring Semester 2019-2020

Instructor: Wrea Mohammed Ibrahim

 Equilibrium constant for slightly soluble salts
+2 2-
[Ag ] [CO3 ]
+ 2-
Ag2CO3 2Ag + CO3 K=
[Ag2CO3]
+2 2-
K[Ag2CO3] = [Ag ] [CO3 ]
The concentration of Ag2CO3 in the solid phase is constant.
+2 2-
Ksp = [Ag ] [CO3 ] Ksp = (Solubility product constant)
 -8 2+
Ex: If Ksp for Hg2Cl2 is 1.3 x 10 calculate concentration of [Hg2 ] in the solution.
2+ -
Ans: Hg2Cl2 Hg2 + 2Cl
x x 2x
2+ -2 - 2+
Ksp = [Hg2 ] [Cl ] [Cl ] = 2[Hg2 ]
Ksp = [Hg22+] [2Hg22+]2
Ksp = [Hg22+] 4[Hg22+]2 = 4[Hg22+]3
2+ 3 2+ 3 3 -8 -7
[Hg2 ] = Ksp / 4 [Hg2 ] = Ksp / 4 = 1.3 x 10 / 4 = 6.9x10 M
Ex: How many grams of Ba(IO3)2 [M.Wt = 487 g/mole] can be dissolved in 500mL of
water? Ksp of Ba(IO3)2 = 1.57 × 10-9.
Ans:
Ba(IO3)2 Ba2+ + 2IO3-
x x 2x
Ksp = [Ba2+] [IO3-]2 [IO3-] = 2[Ba2+]
Ksp = [Ba2+] [2 Ba2+]2
Ksp = [Ba2+] 4[Ba2+]2 = 4[Ba2+]3
[Ba2+]3 = Ksp / 4
[Ba2+] = 3
Ksp / 4 = 3
1.57 × 10-9 / 4 = 7.32x10-4 mol/L = solubility Ba(IO3)2
no. of mol
M= no. of mol = M x VL
VL = 7.32x10-4 x 500/1000 L
= 3.66x10-4 mol
Wt(g)
no. of mol = Wt (g) = no. of mol x M.Wt
M.Wt = 3.66x10-4 x 487
= 0.178 g
 The effect of a common ion on the solubility of a
precipitate

Generally the solubility of precipitate is decreased in the solution

which contains the same common ion with precipitate ions.
AgCl is given as an example.
Silver chloride AgCl has silver ion (Ag+) and chloride ion (Cl¯).
Silver nitrate AgNO3 (which is soluble) has silver ion in common

with silver chloride. Sodium chloride NaCl (also soluble) has

chloride ion in common with silver chloride.
The AgCl precipitate solubility was decreased in solution which
contains an excess of silver and chloride ions because the soluble
part of AgCl make an equilibrium state with the solid part of the
salt.
Ex:
Adding pb(IO3)2 for 0.005 M solution of KIO3 , calculate conc.

[pb2+] in the solution at equilibrium.(Ksp for pb(IO3)2= 2.6x10-13 ).

Ans:
Pb(IO3)2 Pb2+ + 2IO3-
X X 2X common ion

KIO3 K+ + IO3-
0.005 0.005 0.005
[Pb2+] = X
[IO3-]total = 2X from Pb(IO3)2 + 0.005 from KIO3
Ksp = [Pb2+] [IO3-]2
= X (2X + 0.005)2
Because 0.005 >>> 2X due to the presence of soluble IO3- then (2X) can be neglected.
Ksp = X (0.005)2
Ksp 2.6 x 10-13
X= = = 1 x 10-8 mol/L = [Pb2+]
(0.005)2 2.5 x 10-5
Ex:
Adding Ba(IO3)2 for 0.02 M solution of Ba(NO3)2 , calculate the

solubility of Ba(IO3)2 . (Ksp for Ba(IO3)2 = 1.57 x 10-9 ).

Ans: Ba(IO3)2 2IO3- + Ba2+
X 2X X common ion

Ba(NO3)2 2NO3- + Ba2+

0.02 2x0.02 0.02

Here because there is another source of Ba2+ [Ba(IO3)2 & Ba(NO3)2] so we cannot direct related
the solubility to [Ba2+] ,but [IO3-]
[Ba2+]total = [Ba2+]from Ba(NO3)2 + [Ba2+]from Ba(IO3)2
[Ba2+]total = 0.02 from Ba(NO3)2 + ½[IO3-] from Ba(IO3)2
Ksp = [Ba2+] [IO3-]2
= (0.02 + ½[IO3-]) [IO3-]2
Because 0.02 >>> ½[IO3-] then (½[IO3-]) can be neglected.
Ksp = 0.02 x [IO3-]2

Ksp 1.57 x 10-9

[IO3-] = = = 2.8 x 10-4 M
0.02 0.02

Solubility of Ba(IO3)2 = ½[IO3-] = ½ (2.8 x 10-4) = 1.4 x 10-4 M